Always Take Off The Shin Guards...

Two years ago, our first year together, U-8 travel baseball team went to Richmond to play in a tournament. If memory serves me correctly, this was the third tournament we had played together. When we got to the complex where we played, one of our coaches went around to scope out the other teams. He came back and you would’ve thought he had seen a ghost. He said, “I can’t believe how hard these other kids are hitting the ball.  He said, "I'm not really worried about losing. I'm pretty sure we are going to lose but I am scared to death one of our kids will get hurt out here.”  And thank goodness, none of our boys were hurt, but we got our butts handed to us that weekend. We didn’t win a single ballgame.  The season improved some that year and the boys began to improve and play more as a team.

Fast forward a year. We were in U-9 last year. We went back to Richmond last spring. We played three games on Saturday. Lost the first, won the second, lost the third. It was so disappointing. We played like crap. It was one of those days where if it could go wrong, it did go wrong. Because of our crappy day of ball, we got the grand prize of being in the losers bracket and getting the 8am game [insert extreme sarcasm.]  I remember calling my dad and telling him we would probably be back to Covington by lunchtime on Sunday. Things played out differently though. We beat the Vipers in game one. Then we played the Frozen Ropes and lo and behold if we didn’t beat them, too! I have never seen our parents and fans so excited! It was so intense and thrilling to watch these kids who couldn’t catch a cold or hit the ball a lick yesterday to come back and win two games! I was standing by the fence and our catcher was on deck and we had two outs. He still had his shin guards on. I said “Take those shin guards off! Always take those shin guards off!” Well, he looked at me like I had three heads and the whole team probably thought I was coo-coo.  “Always take the shin guards off!” became my battle cry that day! Our catcher was doing exactly what catchers do. They wait to get their gear off until they know for sure they aren’t going to be going back on the field. That gear is hard work to get on and off and is time consuming! I continued to say “Always take the shin guards off!” What I was trying to convey to these youngsters was to have faith in that guy up to bat. Have COMPLETE FAITH. Have “Take the shin guards off because you're going to get on base and I’m going to bat” faith!

Those boys fought their way through the losers bracket and they played for the silver bracket championship against Tuckahoe Flying Squirrels. And the story could end there and it would’ve still been a great one, but guess what happened next?  We won that game 20-0!  It was such a great day! We had two players who were awarded great accolades by the umpire. It wasn’t just a baseball tournament, it was a weekend full of memories and laughter (not so much laughter Saturday but we tend to always have fun, win or lose), and lessons.  It was a weekend of losing together and winning together, all the while, being of good character and picking yourself and your teammates up when they are down. I can’t think of a greater representation of life.

A month or so ago, our team ordered sweatshirts. My husband came home and asked if I wanted a sweatshirt. I said no but I didn’t tell him why. The reason why I didn’t order a sweatshirt was because I didn’t know if I was going to live to need a sweatshirt.

Yesterday I took my shin guards off and I ordered a sweatshirt. I plan on using it for many years to come.

If you are keeping your shin guards of life on, take them off and trust the one who is ahead of you.

-lightningbug